


Knowing

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Series: Recognition AU [6]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-14
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-23 22:06:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7481733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tim could be honest, for once in his life - he had no idea what was going on. And it may just get him and Damian both killed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Knowing

**Author's Note:**

> Augh, this AU is so hard sometimes because y’all hype it SO MUCH and I can’t live up to the standard. Obviously wasn’t in other stories, but Damian and Tim have ‘trained’ with Dick and Cobb multiple times. As Tim says, this is less than a week after the last story, which means the Court lied to Dick in _Posessions_. Tim and Damian don’t know that Dick and the Court are fighting. Dick’s only rescuing them because, as implied, he believes they _belong_ to them, and he still wants to/will indoctrinate them into Court/Talon ways. He still doesn’t care for them or remember them. Hopefully the next story will be better haha ^^;

It was less than a week later, Tim knew, when he awoke to the creak of the cell door being opened. He blinked slowly, looking lazily over his shoulder, keeping Damian secure in his arms.

Dick was standing there, face blank but expectant. It wasn’t the first time Dick appeared, wanting something, but this time…this time seemed different.

He and Tim just stared at each other for a moment, the only sound Damian’s breathing in Tim’s ear, before Dick said:

“Come with me.”

It also wasn’t the first time that demand had been made, but normally, Dick would just drag him from the cell. Physically harm him or Damian to make them do what he wanted. This time, he remained in the cell doorway.

“For what?” Tim asked quietly. Dick didn’t answer. Tim sighed, in no mood to play any of the mind games Dick seemed to enjoy, and shifted back to shake Damian awake. “…Fine.”

But just as he put his hand on Damian’s shoulder, Dick seemed to step forward. “No.” He ordered. “Just. Just you. Leave him here.”

Tim didn’t like the sound of that.

“What’s happening?” He asked instead, slowly unwinding from Damian anyway. Damian only moved once, but otherwise remained asleep, too weak to do anything but remain unconscious.

“Nothing.” Dick replied.

“Then why are you separating us?” Tim snapped. “I’m sure it’d be obvious, even to you, how much I’d rather we weren’t.”

“He’s not needed.” Dick returned coolly, almost sneering. “Unless you _want_ me to work him into the training routine.”

“No.” Tim shot back. “No, you won’t lay a _fucking_ hand on him again, you piece of-”

“Then let’s go.” Dick cut off sharply, turning away. He stepped out into the hallway and looked back at Tim, holding the edge of the door patiently. Tim hesitated, glancing back down at Damian one more time. “…He’ll be fine. We’ll most likely be finished before anyone would come down to check on the two of you, anyway.”

Tim waited, just a few more seconds, before inhaling and stepping out into the corridor. Dick made a pleased hum, gently swinging the door closed, and pulling at it again to make sure it was latched. When he was satisfied, he spun away, with a gesture for Tim to follow.

Tim did.

They left the dungeon, Dick closing and locking all the doors and barriers between Damian and the main hallway for the Court. Tim’s suspicions rose, but he didn’t say anything. Just watched and took note of his surroundings.

They ended up back in the old courtroom, the one Dick always took them to for his so-called training sessions. Where Tim and Damian were always inevitably overcome by their emotions, their love for the brother they lost, despite him standing right there, and faltered in their spars. Where Dick would take no mercy, and injure them with no thought.

Tim stopped a few feet from the doorway. Dick hadn’t closed the thick door this time, just slowly moving towards his spot across the floor.

“…What is this?” Tim asked hesitantly. “What are we doing?”

“You’ve been holding back. You and the child both.” Dick explained, pulling his arm across his body in a stretch. “I want to see what you’re _really_ made of.”

“And what, you thought I wouldn’t do it in front of Damian?” Tim huffed. “You of all people should know, _Dick_. Don’t show all your cards.”

“Damian has nothing to do with this.” Dick returned icily, though Tim didn’t miss the way he glanced at the open door. “And I’m not talking strategy. Keep as much as that to yourself as you want, I do not care. I’m talking about _strength_. Sheer _power_.” He dropped into a fighting stance. “Show me what you’ve got.”

Tim watched him. “…And if I don’t?”

“Then I fear you and your brother may be in a lot more trouble than you believe yourself to be in.” Dick returned with a smirk. “I know you will not believe me, but I am trying to help you, here.”

 _“Help?”_ Tim snorted. “Help me with _what?_ ”

“Staying alive.” And without warning, Dick was running at him, knives at the ready. He was aiming for his jugular, for vulnerable parts of his body. Ready to kill him, even in this practice.

Tim blocked immediately, crossing his arms and ducking, taking Dick’s weight just enough to flip the older man over his head. Dick landed with all the grace of an acrobat, twisting back towards Tim, already at the ready for another attack. He launched, this time with just the claws of his deadly armour. Tim merely dodged the hit, backing up a step. Dick must have seen it coming, as he suddenly twisted, grabbing Tim and pulling him close. He lifted his free hand – the clawed glove – bringing it downwards dangerously fast.

Tim grabbed his wrist, holding it there with a grunt.

“Don’t defend.” Dick hissed, pushing with all of his strength. “ _Attack_.”

“…Why?!” Tim gasped out, eyeing the glove fearfully.

“Because you and that boy are dead if you don’t.” Dick snapped, throwing Tim back, and backing up himself. Tim stared at him, hunched over and breathing heavy, as Dick tilted his head in curiosity. There was the echo of squeaky hinges, the swoosh of a door being carefully opened.

“I already.” Tim huffed. “I already told you. We’re not becoming Talons. You can’t make us. We’d rather _die_.”

“That’s a challenge for another day, and not the point of this exercise.” Dick shrugged, straightening his neck. “And dying is exactly what you will be doing, if you do not learn to _hit back_.”

Dick was lunging again, and this time Tim let him make contact. Tackle him to the ground and hold him there. He struggled, but halfheartedly. He was tired. So, so _tired_.

Not to mention _confused_.

Tim pushed at Dick’s chest, but Dick easily pinned his wrists to the ground. Tim struggled, but still didn’t hit him, and it seemed to be frustrating the Talon on top of him.

“They won’t kill you first, you know.” Dick exhaled. “They’ll go after your brother. Torture him while you watch. Make you _beg_.”

“What are you talking about?!” Tim shouted.

“I’ve given you so many openings.” Dick snapped, squeezing at Tim’s wrists. “A simple move, and you could be out of this hold. I’m giving you an out and you _won’t even take it.”_

“What. Are you. Talking. About?!” Tim growled. “If this isn’t some sort of… _conditioning_ for Talon-hood, then what…”

“Maybe the Court was right.” Dick hummed. “Maybe you are a lost cause. Maybe I should just do away with you and find someone el-”

The scream was far away, but drowned out Dick’s voice completely. Echoed in the chambers, through the air, into Tim’s bones.

_“Get away from me!”_

Dick’s head jerked around towards the door, and after a moment he huffed a laugh.

“Knew it.”

Tim didn’t hear him, though. Didn’t register he’d even moved. All he could focus on was the sound of that voice, the adrenaline immediately bursting into his veins.

_That was Damian._

“Don’t…” Damian yelled, followed by a loud crash. _“Don’t!”_

Tim was shoving Dick off of him before he knew it, though he felt as if Dick let him. He stumbled to his feet, racing towards the door without a care of who could be watching, or who might try to stop him.

Because they wouldn’t, no matter what.

The door to the cells, which Dick had so carefully closed and locked, was mangled, the keyholes destroyed. Even down the row of dungeons, he could see their cell door open, a group of three armoured and masked people huddled in its open doorway.

He jumped down the three stairs into the cells, but stopped immediately, taking in the scene. Two of the three Talons were large, monstrous things, while the third was smaller. Lithe, like Dick. He was standing back, while the two larger ones were in the cell, one in the entryway, while the other stood next to their bed.

Damian himself was standing on the bed, backed into the corner, but his fists at the ready. It wouldn’t do him any good, though. Tim could already see it. He was too weak. Too malnourished. Still recovering from those lingering injuries that Dick and the Court wouldn’t let go away, and the emotional trauma he was being forced to endure every day.

He was a dead man standing, and the Court members standing there could see it.

Tim moved to step forward, when suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder, not so gently pulling him back, and moving forward in his place.

“Stay here.” Dick ordered as he passed him. “And do exactly as I say.”

Tim didn’t have much of a choice, as there wasn’t a moment to argue. One second Dick was jerking him backwards, and the next, there was a knife in his hand, and he was plunging it into the throat of the Talon standing in the doorway. The Talon howled, but Dick gave it no mind, dragging the blade through skin and protective leather alike.

The body dropped, but Dick was moving before it did, grabbing the chin and temple of the Talon closest to Damian, twisting his head so quickly, with so much force, that it was almost _ripped_ from his shoulders. Damian made a noise of surprise, a motion to try to stop Dick, as that body collapsed too, but froze when Dick turned towards the third Talon. The smaller one, still standing in the hall.

“You were with them the whole time, weren’t you?” Dick asked slowly.

“Richard, I was never on anyone’s side.” The other Talon –William Cobb, probably – said, gleefully. “Just a mere spectator.”

“Spectator.” Dick scoffed. “Would I be wrong to assume you’re the one who whispered in the Court’s ear to move early and kill my captives?”

“I would never do anything of the sort.” William sounded defensive. “They merely asked me to oversee the child’s execution, and I was bored so I figured – why not.”

Even from down the hall, Tim could see Dick was furious – and maybe a little conflicted.

“They’ll know the execution failed. They’ll know you’re the one that stopped it. That you killed your own. That automatically makes you an enemy, Grandson, you know that.” William hummed, as Dick jerked around to look up at Damian, still in his own defensive position on the bed. “…I’ll give you a head start, if you like.”

“I don’t want anything from you.” Dick snapped, suddenly reaching out and grabbing Damian’s wrist. Damian only resisted once, but came almost willingly as Dick dragged him from the bed and out of the cell. They splashed through the growing puddle of blood like it was water, and it instantly stained Damian’s bare feet. “Let’s go.”

“No one’s ever tried to leave the Court and survived, Richard.” William called lazily. Dick only tightened his grip on Damian’s arm. “What makes you think you’re so special?”

“Move.” Dick ordered to Tim as they got close enough.

“They’ll come after you.” William called lazily. “And kill you on the spot. Your pets, too. This game of yours is as fun to watch as I’m sure it is to play, but. Honestly, Richard. You don’t actually believe you’ll _win_ , do you?”

Tim remained frozen to his spot, just staring down at Damian. Halfheartedly reaching for him as he and Dick neared.

“I said, _move_.” Dick reiterated, harsher than before, gesturing first at Tim, then at the door.

Tim still didn’t, confusion and adrenaline and concern destroying his functionality, and William laughed.

Dick practically growled, one foot already on the stairs out of the dungeon, and yanked Damian forward. Without warning, he wrapped an arm around Damian’s waist, and lifted him, through him harshly over his shoulder.

“Move, Timothy, or you’ll never see _him_ -” He jerked his head towards Damian, who was scrambling to grab something for stability on Dick’s uniform. “-again.”

Tim swallowed the lump in his throat, and when Dick hopped up the stairs, he followed quickly after.

“What…what’s happening?” Tim breathed, as Dick practically ran through the hallways. “Did you…did you _know_ this was going to happen?”

“I had a hunch.” Dick returned monotonously. “I assumed they’d strike when they believed me distracted, or the two of you somehow separated.”

“You knew they were going to try to kill him?!” Tim shouted. “What would have happened if their plan worked? If we didn’t hear them, or…or didn’t get there in time?! What if they’d killed him before we got there?!”

“It’d have been unfortunate, I guess.” Dick sighed, pausing at an intersection and looking around. “For you, anyway.”

Damian only glanced up at Tim from his awkward position, and his eyes looked anguished. Tim tilted his head in sympathy, and smiled sadly when Damian reached out for him. Instantly, gladly, he intertwined their fingers, and held on even as Dick moved forward again.

“I’ll…I can carry Damian.” Tim practically whispered.

“You won’t.” Dick returned boredly. “He’s _needed_ now. Or is there another way to make sure you stick close by?”

Tim bit his lip, and squeezed Damian’s fingers.

“…Why is the Court trying to kill us?” Tim asked shortly. “Was it something we did? Something _you_ did?”

“They were never happy that I didn’t kill you along with your father.” Dick hummed. “And they didn’t like the progress I was making, so decided to eradicate the project.”

“And…” Tim started, hating himself for feeling the hope well up in his chest. “…you didn’t want them to?”

“Of course not.” Dick glanced back at Tim with a vicious smirk. “I’m not _done_ with the two of you, yet.”

Tim grit his teeth, and held firm to Damian as the younger brought his other hand up to cling to Tim too.

“…Where are we going?” Tim asked quietly, as they turned another corner.

Dick looked around, and then perked when he spotted a door along the wall, moving even faster towards it.

“Just follow me.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Other Recognition AU stories](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/tagged/recognition+au)   
> 


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